NFL 2011 Season – Week 12 Recap

Tim Tebow’s magic continued in Denver, while several other teams rallied for key victories. Here are the NFL scores from Sunday and a recap of all the action from Week 12:

Denver 16 – San Diego 13 (OT)

Matt Prater kicked a 37-yard field goal with 29 seconds left in overtime, and the Denver Broncos beat the San Diego Chargers 16-13. The win gives Denver (6-5) a record of 5-1 with Tim Tebow starting at quarterback, while San Diego (4-7) suffered its sixth loss in a row. Tebow had a 12-yard run to help set up Prater’s game-winning kick. Tebow finished with 143 yards passing, including an 18-yard touchdown toss to Eric Decker, who led Denver with 65 receiving yards. Willis McGahee carried 23 times for 117 yards for the Broncos. Chargers’ kicker Nick Novak missed a 53-yard field goal attempt with 2:31 left in overtime that would have won it for San Diego. Ryan Mathews carried 22 times for 137 yards for the Chargers, who got 188 passing yards and a touchdown from quarterback Philip Rivers.

N.Y. Jets 28 – Buffalo 24

Mark Sanchez threw four touchdown passes, including a game-winning 16-yard scoring toss to Santonio Holmes with 1:01 to play, as the New York Jets beat the Buffalo Bills 28-24. New York (6-5) held on to win after Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s pass sailed behind Stevie Johnson in the end zone with eight seconds left. Fitzpatick finished with 264 passing yards and three touchdowns for the Bills (5-6), who have lost four straight games. Johnson caught eight passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, after which he drew a 15-yard penalty for mocking the 2008 club shooting incident that led to the incarceration of current Jets’ receiver Plaxico Burress. Bills’ receiver Brad Smith had 77 receiving yards on four catches. C.J. Spiller had 55 rushing yards while starting in place of injured Buffalo running back Fred Jackson. Shonn Greene had 78 yards rushing to lead New York. Sanchez had 180 yards passing and an interception to go with his four touchdowns for the Jets.

Cincinnati 23 – Cleveland 20

A.J. Green hauled in a pass for a 51-yard gain to set-up Mike Nugent’s game-winning 26-yard field goal with 38 seconds left, as the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns 23-20. Cincinnati (7-4) won despite trailing most of the game to the Browns (4-7), who had leads of 7-0, 17-7 and 20-10. Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton completed 21 of 31 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown. Cincinnati running back Cedric Benson ran for 106 yards and a score, while Green finished with 110 yards receiving on just three catches. Quarterback Colt McCoy, who could not lead the Browns to a tying field goal, passed for 151 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Cleveland’s Peyton Hillis ran for 65 yards in his first game back after missing six weeks due to a hamstring injury.

Houston 20 – Jacksonville 13

Arian Foster rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown, and the Houston Texans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-13, despite losing quarterback Matt Leinart to a left shoulder injury. Houston (8-3) sacked Jaguars’ quarterback Blaine Gabbert six times, relying on its defense to hold off Jacksonville (3-8). Leinart threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Joel Dreessen in the second quarter just before he was injured after a hit from Jaguars’ defensive end Jeremy Mincey. Leinart was in the lineup for starter Matt Schaub, who was lost for the season with a right foot injury suffered in Week 10. Texans’ third-string quarterback T.J. Yates took over for Leinart after the injury. Gabbert, who threw for just 136 yards and an interception, was benched in favor of Luke McCown in the fourth quarter. Maurice Jones-Drew carried 18 times for 99 yards for the Jaguars, whose only touchdown came when Ashton Youboty recovered an Arian Foster fumble and returned it 38 yards for a score in the first quarter.

Tennessee 23 – Tampa Bay 17

Chris Johnson ran for a season-high 190 yards, and the Tennessee Titans beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-17. Tennessee (6-5) used a 2-yard touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Damian Williams with 3:01 to play to go ahead for good, 20-17. Titans’ linebacker Colin McCarthy then intercepted Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman with 2:19 left to set up the third field goal of the day from Rob Bironas, which finished the scoring. Tampa Bay (4-7) was led by LeGarrette Blount, who had 103 yards rushing, but also fumbled twice. Freeman threw for 199 yards and a touchdown, but he had an interception and a fumble, too. Buccaneers receiver Mike Williams caught six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Hasselbeck threw for 160 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, including one that Aqib Talib returned 27 yards for a Tampa Bay score early in the second half.

Atlanta 24 – Minnesota 14

Matt Ryan passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns, and the Atlanta Falcons beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-14. Atlanta (7-4) led 17-0 at the half, but allowed Minnesota (2-9) to close within three points after Christian Ponder threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Percy Harvin early in the fourth quarter. Ryan’s final scoring pass of the day, a 3-yarder to Michael Palmer with 6:40 to play, gave the Falcons their final margin of victory. Falcons receiver Roddy White caught 10 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings’ Harvin finished with eight catches for 95 yards and a score. Toby Gerhart, playing in place of the injured Adrian Peterson, carried 17 times for 44 yards and a touchdown for Minnesota. The Vikings finished with just 64 net yards rushing.

Carolina 27 – Indianapolis 19

DeAngelo Williams ran for 69 yards and two touchdowns, and the Carolina Panthers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 27-19. Cam Newton threw for 208 yards for Carolina (3-8). He also carried nine times for 53 yards and a touchdown. Running back Jonathan Stewart helped round out the Panthers’ rushing attack with 70 yards on 10 carries. Indianapolis (0-11) got 226 passing yards and a touchdown from quarterback Curtis Painter, but he was intercepted in the end zone on both of the Colts’ final two drives of the game. Reggie Wayne caught five passes for 122 yards and a touchdown for Indianapolis. Colts running back Donald Brown carried 14 times for 80 yards.

Arizona 23 – St. Louis 20

Jay Feely kicked a go-ahead 22-yard field goal with 4:09 to play, and the Arizona Cardinals beat the St. Louis Rams 23-20. Running back Beanie Wells set a Cardinals’ franchise mark with 228 rushing yards against the worst rushing defense in the NFL. Wells also had a touchdown in the third quarter that helped rally Arizona (4-7) from a 10-6 deficit. Later in the period, the Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson returned a punt 80 yards for a score, his NFL record-tying fourth punt return TD of the season. The Rams (2-9) then rallied to tie the game at 20 in the fourth quarter on Sam Bradford’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Lloyd. Bradford finished with 203 passing yards and a touchdown. Nick Miller returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter for St. Louis. Wells’ big day helped erase a dismal performance from Arizona quarterback John Skelton, who threw for just 114 yards and two interceptions.

Washington 23 – Seattle 17

Rex Grossman threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Armstrong with 6:18 left to play to lead the Washington Redskins over the Seattle Seahawks 23-17. Washington (4-7) scored 16 fourth-quarter points to rally from a 17-7 deficit with 12:45 remaining. Grossman completed 26 of 35 passes for 314 yards and had two touchdowns and two interceptions. Redskins’ rookie running back Roy Helu finished with 108 yards and a score, and Jabar Gaffney caught five passes for 72 yards. Seattle (4-7) was led by Marshawn Lynch, who rushed for 111 yards and caught a 20-yard touchdown pass. Seahawks’ quarterback Tarvaris Jackson threw for 144 yards, two scores and an interception.

Oakland 25 – Chicago 20

Sebastian Janikowski kicked six field goals to tie a team record, and the Oakland Raiders beat the Chicago Bears 25-20. Carson Palmer threw for 301 yards to lead Oakland (7-4). The Raiders were unable to score a touchdown until Michael Bush, who finished with 69 rushing yards, ran the ball into the end zone from 3 yards out with 3:47 to play. Bears’ quarterback Caleb Hanie, making his first start in place of injured starter Jay Cutler, passed for 254 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, including one deep in Oakland territory on a drive that could have given Chicago the lead at the end of the first half. Johnny Knox caught four passes for 145 yards and a touchdown for Chicago (7-4). Marcel Reece led the Raiders with 92 receiving yards on five receptions.

New England 38 – Philadelphia 20

Tom Brady passed for 361 yards and three touchdowns, and the New England Patriots routed the Philadelphia Eagles 38-20. After falling behind 10-0 early, New England (8-3) scored on five of seven possessions to take a commanding 38-13 lead. New England’s Wes Welker caught eight passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns, while Deion Branch had 125 yards receiving for the Patriots. Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis added 44 rushing yards and two touchdowns for New England. Philadelphia (4-7) had quarterback Vince Young, starting in place of the injured Michael Vick for the second straight game, throw for 400 yards, along with a touchdown and an interception. Jason Avant caught eight passes for 110 yards and a score for the Eagles.

Pittsburgh 13 – Kansas City 9

Keenan Lewis intercepted Tyler Palko with 29 seconds to play to stop a potential game-winning drive, and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 13-9 on Sunday night. The interception was the third of the game thrown by Palko, who also had a fumble. He finished with just 167 yards passing in his second start for the injured Matt Cassel. After trailing 3-0 early, Pittsburgh (8-3) went ahead to stay in the second quarter when Ben Roethlisberger threw a 2-yard pass to Weslye Saunders for the game’s only touchdown. Playing with a broken thumb on his throwing hand, Roethlisberger completed 21 of 31 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown for the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown had 81 receiving yards on four catches. Ryan Succop’s three field goals of 41, 49 and 40 yards accounted for all the scoring from Kansas City (4-7), which finished with just 252 net yards of offense. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu left the game when his head banged into the knee of Chiefs’ offensive tackle Steve Maneri during a tackle.